20jan01

HOBBS, N.M., January 20, 2003 -- Longtime Hobbs resident William G. Abbott recently was honored by the New Mexico Tech Research Foundation after completing 17 years of service as a trustee for the foundation, which is affiliated with New Mexico Tech in Socorro.

An oak and bronze plaque commemorating Abbott's dedicated service was presented to him by Alex K. Thyssen, executive secretary of the New Mexico Tech Research Foundation, at a brief ceremony in the Abbott home in Hobbs.

Abbott, who has been a prominent leader for more than 50 years among the petroleum industry and engineering professions in the Hobbs and Lea County area, also served for 24 years on the New Mexico Tech Board of Regents -- a total of four terms under three different governors from 1961 until 1985.

Abbott, a founder and former president of Petro-Therm Corporation/AGUA, Inc., currently is a corporate consultant to Petro-Therm and serves as a trustee on the AGUA, Inc. Profit-Sharing Trust.

The recent award is not the first one the Hobbs resident has received from New Mexico Tech: during its May 1985 commencement exercises, the state-supported research university conferred an honorary doctor of engineering degree on Abbott.